Group to give away thousands of trees

TUSCALOOSA | More than 3,800 tree seedlings will be given away in this year’s annual tree giveaway by the city of Tuscaloosa’s Tree Commission.

By Jason MortonStaff Writer

TUSCALOOSA | More than 3,800 tree seedlings will be given away in this year’s annual tree giveaway by the city of Tuscaloosa’s Tree Commission.The commission, together with the Alabama Power Service Organization and the Druid City Canopy Coalition, will have several varieties available. Among them are Southern sugar maple, crape myrtle, dogwood, southern magnolia, white oak, live oak, redbud and dahoon holly. The giveaway is planned for 8 a.m. Feb. 23 at the Mildred Westervelt Warner Transportation Museum, 1901 Jack Warner Parkway.“We usually have a pretty good turnout, so people need to show up early,” said Eric Thompson, a senior planner for the city’s Department of Planning and Development Services who now oversees the Tree Commission. “They go really fast.”Limits on the number of trees each resident can have will be imposed at the start of the giveaway, but these could be relaxed if some varieties become more popular than others.Thompson suggests that the trees be planted in a pot, allowing them to grow larger before putting them in the ground.“Then they can plant them in their yard to replace the trees that were lost in the tornado,” said Thompson, who authored the city’s landscape ordinance.Larger trees will be available upon request from the Druid City Canopy Coalition, which will have representatives on-site during the giveaway to provide more details on these particular varieties.Thompson said the coalition has been growing some donated trees in a dedicated nursery at the University of Alabama’s Arboretum off Loop Road and that these trees can be picked up by appointment.Recipients of these trees will have to arrange their own transportation, Thompson said.